Krugman: The Big Hate: right-wing extremism is being systematically fed by the conservative media

[LittleApple81]

political establishment.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/12/opinion/12krugman.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

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Now, for the most part, the likes of Fox News and the R.N.C. haven’t directly incited violence, despite Bill O’Reilly’s declarations that “some” called Dr. Tiller “Tiller the Baby Killer,” that he had “blood on his hands,” and that he was a “guy operating a death mill.” But they have gone out of their way to provide a platform for conspiracy theories and apocalyptic rhetoric, just as they did the last time a Democrat held the White House.

And at this point, whatever dividing line there was between mainstream conservatism and the black-helicopter crowd seems to have been virtually erased.

Exhibit A for the mainstreaming of right-wing extremism is Fox News’s new star, Glenn Beck. Here we have a network where, like it or not, millions of Americans get their news — and it gives daily airtime to a commentator who, among other things, warned viewers that the Federal Emergency Management Agency might be building concentration camps as part of the Obama administration’s “totalitarian” agenda (although he eventually conceded that nothing of the kind was happening).

But let’s not neglect the print news media. In the Bush years, The Washington Times became an important media player because it was widely regarded as the Bush administration’s house organ. Earlier this week, the newspaper saw fit to run an opinion piece declaring that President Obama “not only identifies with Muslims, but actually may still be one himself,” and that in any case he has “aligned himself” with the radical Muslim Brotherhood.


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[elleng]

1. Beat me by 3 minutes!

:hi:

[LittleApple81]

2. He is the first person connected with the MSM that has come out with a cogent argument

without apologizing and genuflecting to the right wingers. I wonder what they are going to say... actually I can imagine!

[Kolesar]

3. You may not buy newspapers, but when you pay your cable bill you are funding the murderous RW press

Elegant writing by Professor Krugman, btw--one of his best.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

4. I heartily endorse this piece

and recommend it.

This is one for the ages.

[get the red out]

5. Rush isn't for entertainment

So much for whistling in the dark telling ourselves that Limbaugh and Beck are just entertainers and don't really effect any opinions out there. Spewing conspiracy theory as truth is harmless fun, right?

[ErinBerin84]

6. Joey Scar is pitching a hissy fit about this column this morning

Of course, he barely mumbled about the shooting yesterday. Today, he blamed people for politicizing it on "both sides" (showed a clip of Rushbo), and then called Krugman's column a "complete distortion". Sit and spin, friend. First, maybe people wouldn't care so much about identifying him as a rw extremist if people like JOE weren't hell bent on politicizing the DHS first report that was never meant to be public anyway, in hopes of scoring cheap political points.

[LittleApple81]

7. Joe hates Krugman. He "cannot understand how this man got a Nobel Prize" (paraphrasing). So now he

has even more reason to hate him.

[medeak]

9. was shocked at their verbiage this am and Mika right with him

and the Rush footage of calling killer a lefty was mind boggling

[ejpoeta]

12. they always say 'both sides' when it is their side that is doing it.

and they always seem to forget anything they may have said before, like the whole bs complaining about the report and politicizing is in the first place.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

8. I'm back to my old position of wanting the Fairness Doctrine reinstated NOW

I'd eased off it. Heard the arguments of folks like Randi and Ed.

Figured Obama knew what he was doing.

But the disinformation that's being spread by these irresponsible broadcasters (on the PUBLIC airwaves) is getting too dangerous.

Yellow Journalism looks like the golden age of reporting compared to what goes on these days.

Murdoch and Clear Channel make Hearst nothing more than an amateur.

[The Wizard]

11. Murdoch and Clear Channel make Hearst nothing more than an amateur.

The Republican media makes Goebbels look like an amateur.

[snot]

10. It's not just the Fairness Doc. We need break-up of the consolidated ownership

allowed by changes in regulations during the last 4 decades.

WE should own the "Village Square"; democracy can't survive w/o it.

[Wednesdays]

13. K&R

:kick:

[Cha]

14. Krugman and I

agree.